Posted by Societalstandpoint
a resident of Midtown
on Oct 15, 2012 at 2:02 pm

It is great to see the community of East Palo Alto standing up to violence in their community. I agree that it starts with the community being more active in order to curb violence down the road, but it also starts with the city making changes in their policies to reduce the racial and social disparities that occur too often in under-resourced communities. Great first step, Lisa Yarbrough-Gauthier and team!

Posted by Jan H.
a resident of Old Palo Alto
on Oct 15, 2012 at 2:10 pm

I think it is a social problem that goes back centuries, and is not solveable in one, or two, or three generations.

Blacks had their families broken apart against their will for centuries, from the day they were stolen from Africa to the day their descendants' families were sold off separately by slave owners. That is the family example they had set for them, and it became a legacy, much as child abuse does.

That does not mean it cannot be changed, but it takes a very conscious effort and "the buck stops here" attitude.

I know this because I successful kept child abuse from becoming a legacy in my own family, but that was only on one side of the family. It would have been much more difficult to overcome if neglect and abuse were on both sides.

Like Hmmm said, it starts at home, where the ultimate responsibility lies, and parents in EPA must be willing to step up to the plate and take responsibility.